In a spirited Senior Night clash, the Dos Pueblos girls volleyball team delivered one of its most inspired performances of the season, but it wasn’t enough to overcome visiting rival Santa Barbara, who secured a 25-12, 25-12, 20-25, 25-19 victory on Tuesday at Sovine Gym.
With the win, the Dons finish Channel League play at 10-4, securing third place and an automatic playoff berth. Playoff brackets are set to be released Saturday morning, with Santa Barbara expected to land in CIF Division 4 or 5.
“We’re excited for the playoffs,” said Santa Barbara head coach Kristin Hempy. “We’ve been focused on it, preparing in practice. Hopefully we can build some momentum and make a run.”
Santa Barbara came out strong in the first two sets, powered by dominant serving and steady ball distribution. Paylin Marcillac led the way with six aces and 21 digs, while setter Jules Horton added 34 assists, 11 digs, and four aces. Blake Saunders was a force on the outside with 13 kills, 18 digs, and four aces.
The Dons closed out the first two sets with aces — first by Grace Costner and then by Marcillac — as the duo showcased their pressure serving.
But Dos Pueblos refused to fold. Sparked by senior Addison Low, the Chargers stormed out to an 11-6 lead in the third set. Low’s big swings helped extend the margin to 22-13. A net violation gave the Chargers set point at 24-14, but Santa Barbara rallied behind another strong Marcillac serving run, pulling within 24-20 before a combined block from Maya Rider and Maggie Squires sealed the set for Dos Pueblos.
“We’ve got some kids on the team that are just workhorses,” said Chargers head coach Megan O’Carroll, singling out Eleni Becker for her defensive hustle. “She throws her body all over the court. Her style of play is super contagious.”
Santa Barbara regained its composure in the fourth set, closing out the match with back-to-back kills from Costner.
“When we’ve got our starting lineup in and everything’s rolling, it looks great,” Hempy said. “We definitely had some tough rotations, and Addison Low was tough to handle when she got going.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.